"The book is so focused on the dwarves, so I think it's a chance for Peter [Jackson] and Fran [Walsh] to really look at that whole race in more detail, their heritage and what they're like as characters."

Armitage added that the costumes and armor used in the film will please fans. However, he added that he struggled with his character's famous sword, the Orcrist.

"It's bloody heavy, but it's absolutely beautiful to look at," he said. "Every time they bring something new out, everyone gasps. The armor that the dwarves emerge from the mountain wearing at the end of the film will be the armor of all armor."

The Spooks star also spoke of his excitement to be linked with Jackson's previous Middle-Earth trilogy, as he is a big fan of the original films.

"There was a scene in The Lord of the Rings where they find the stone trolls, and they're identical in The Hobbit," he said.

"I love those moments, when you link into the world of the film that you've seen before."

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will open at cinemas on December 14, 2012.